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en Dos importantes visitas este Jueves en el Bronx. Hon. Hipólito Mejía y Mr. José Lopezhttp://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/dos-importantes-visitas-este-jueves-en-el-bronx-hon-hip-lito-mej-y-mr-jos-lopez
<p><strong>LO QUE USTED DEBE SABER</strong><br />Por el Senador Rev. Rubén Diaz<br />Distrito 32 Condado del Bronx, New York <br />Tel. 718- 991 -3161<br /><strong><br />Dos importantes visitas este Jueves en el Bronx. Hon. Hipólito Mejía y Mr. José Lopez</strong><br /><br />Usted debe saber que este Jueves 2 de Abril por la mañana durante la reunión semanal de La Organización de Ministros Hispanos de New York, estaremos recibiendo dos importantes visitas separadas la una de la otra.<br /><br />Sepa usted que la primera de esas visitas es el ex-presidente de la República Dominicana y actual Presidente del nuevo “Partido Revolucionario Moderno”,&nbsp; Hon. Hipólito Mejía.<br /><br />Es importante que usted sepa que yo recibi una carta oficial de parte del Señor Manuel Antonio Durán, quién funge como Director Internacional de Operaciones para el Hon. Hipólito Mejía, donde me informa que este Jueves 2 de Abril a las 10:00 A.M. el ex-presidente estara haciendo una visita de cortesia para saludar a los Ministros Hispanos durante su reunión semanal.<br /><br />Como usted sabe, el Hon. Hipólito Mejía, fungió como Presidente de la Repûblica Dominicana durante el periodo&nbsp; del 2000–2004 y tiene un grupo de miles y miles de seguidores&nbsp; (dentro y fuera de la Repûblica) que lo siguen, lo respetan y lo aman profundamente.<br /><br />La segunda persona importante que visitará la reunión de Ministros Hispanos de NY es el Señor José Lopez hermano del activista y prisionero puertorriqueño, Oscar Lopez Rivera.<br /><br />Usted debe saber que Oscar Lopez Rivera, hace 34 años se encuentra tras las rejas en una prisión de los Estados Unidos sirviendo una condena por actos de violencia cometidos en 1981, “en pro de la liberación de Puerto Rico”<br /><br />Es importante, que usted amado lector sepa, que Oscar Lopez no fué el unico autor de dichos atentados en pro de la Independencia para Puerto Rico.&nbsp; El fué acusado, arrestado y sentenciado junto a otras diez 10) personas, sus compañeros fueron; Eliza M. Escobar, Ricardo Jimenez, Adolfo Matos, Alfredo Mendez, Dylcia Noemi Pagan, Alicia Rodriguez, Ida Luz Rodriguez, Luis Rosa, Carlos Alberto Torres y Carmen Valentín.&nbsp; <br /><br />Es también muy importante que usted sepa que todas las personas envueltas en los ataques del 1981 han sido liberadas y perdonadas.&nbsp; El único que aún queda detenido es Mr. Lopez Rivera quién ya ha servido 34 años.&nbsp; Más que los terroristas Islámicos que el Presidente Barack Obama liberó.<br /><br />Mr. José Lopez, hermano de Oscar&nbsp; juntó a otras personas entre ellos el Hno. Asambleista por el Condado del Bronx José Rivera, líderes puertorriqueños y grupos internacionales, forman parte de un comité que por muchos años han venido intercediendo por la libertad de Oscar Lopez Rivera, y desean apelar al Presidente Barack Obama por la liberación de Oscar Lopez.<br /><br />Sepa que yo no patrocino, ni creo en actos de violencia, pero pienso que 34 años son suficiente pago por el acto cometido, especialmente cuando hace, muchos años ya que el resto de sus compañeros fueron perdonados.<br /><br />Para la Organización de Ministros Hispanos de New York y los Ministros que la componen será un verdadero privilegio tener, al Hon. Hipolito Mejia y al Sr. José Lopez visitando nuestra reunión de este Jueves 2 de Abril a las 9:00 A.M.<br /><br />Es importante que usted sepa que la visita del Presidente Mejía es independiente de la visita y el proposito del Sr. Lopez.&nbsp; José Lopez está pautado a dirigirse a los ministros a las 9:00 de la mañana y el Presidente Hipólito Mejía arribará a las 10:00 A.M<br /><br />Dos importantes visitas, separadas la una de la otra y dos importantes tópicos separados uno del otro. Y yo les garantizo que los Ministros y Pastores estaremos muy atentos é interesados en oir lo que estas dos importantes visitas tienen que decir.<br /><br />Yo soy el Senador Rubén Díaz y esto es lo que usted debe saber.</p>
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<span class="date-display-single">Tue, 03/31/2015</span> </div>
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MiscellaneousTue, 31 Mar 2015 20:04:15 +0000Cathryn Bern-Smith265651 at http://www.nysenate.govTwo Important Guests to Visit Ministers in the Bronx http://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/two-important-guests-visit-ministers-bronx
<p><strong>What You Should Know</strong><br />By State Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz<br />32nd Senatorial District <br />(718) 991-3161 <br /><br /><strong>Two Important Guests to Visit Ministers in the Bronx </strong><br /><br />You should know that this coming Thursday, April 2, 2015, during the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization's weekly meeting, my fellow ministers and I will receive two very important guests, separate and independent of each other. <br /><br />One of those visitors will be the former President of the Dominican Republic and the President of the Modern Revolutionary Party: the Honorable Hipólito Mejía. <br /><br />It is important for you to know that I received a letter from Mr. Manuel Durán who serves as the International Director of Operations for the Honorable Hipólito Mejía, where he stated that President Mejía will be paying a courtesy visit to our Minister’s meeting at 10AM this week. <br /><br />You should know that Hipólito Mejía served as President of the Dominican Republic from 2000 - 2004, and he remains beloved among many.&nbsp; It is a great honor for me and the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization that President Hipólito Mejía will attend our meeting and address our ministers as many dignitaries continue to do. <br /><br />The second important person we will be receiving on Thursday morning is Mr. José Lopez, the brother of Puerto Rican activist Oscar López Rivera. José Lopez is requesting for us to participate in the ProLibertad Freedom Campaign that seeks clemency for his brother. <br /><br />Oscar López Rivera was a founder of F.A.L.N. a separatist group that advocated for the complete independence for Puerto Rico from the United States. (F.A.L.N. stands for Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional - in English, it means Armed Forces of National Liberation.) In 1981 - along with Elizam Escobar, Ricardo Jimenez, Adolfo Matos, Alfredo Mendez, Dylcia Noemi Pagan, Alicia Rodriguez, Ida Luz Rodriguez, Luis Rosa, Carlos Alberto Torres, and Carmen Valentin, - Oscar López Rivera was arrested and sentenced for serious acts committed to promote Puerto Rico's liberation. <br /><br />After 34 years, all of the F.A.L.N. members have been freed, except for Oscar López Rivera who remains behind bars. <br /><br />Mr. López's brother, together with Assemblyman José Rivera and many Puerto Rican leaders and leaders from various international groups, have joined together in a humanitarian appeal to President Barack Obama to use his powers to grant clemency for Oscar López Rivera.&nbsp; According to José López and leaders of this movement, President Obama has liberated people who have done far worse things than Oscar López Rivera. <br /><br />Mr. José Lopez lives in Chicago, and on Thursday, he will come to our meeting with the task of explaining his brother's suffering over the past 34 years. According to him, it is time for his brother to be released from prison. <br /><br />It is important for you to know that these two guests - apart and separate from each other - will be addressing the ministers at different times, Mr. José López brother will make his presentation at 9AM, and the Honorable Hipólito Mejía will address the ministers at 10AM. <br /><br />Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see our ministers have a full agenda this week, and you can be assured that we will listen very carefully to what they have to say. <br /><br />I am State Senator Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.</p>
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MiscellaneousTue, 31 Mar 2015 14:15:25 +0000Cathryn Bern-Smith265521 at http://www.nysenate.govReal Opportunities for Black and Hispanic Students http://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/real-opportunities-black-and-hispanic-students
<p><strong>What You Should Know</strong><br />By State Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz<br />32nd Senatorial District <br />(718) 991-3161 <br /><strong><br />Real Opportunities for Black and Hispanic Students </strong><br /><br />You should know that charter schools are creating real opportunities for Black and Hispanic students throughout the five boroughs of New York City and that I have been a supporter of charter schools long before I was an elected official.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />You should know there are different groups or networks that sponsor charter schools throughout New York State who are doing a wonderful job.&nbsp; Some of them are: Success Academy, KIPP NYC, Families for Excellent Schools, New York City Charter School Center, Achievement First, Uncommon Schools, Millennium Art Academy and Public Prep Network, etc. <br /><br />Today, I want to take this opportunity to let you know about some of the success stories of students in my Senate District who have attended KIPP NYC charter schools. <br /><br />You should know the story of Jaime Bravo who came to my office last week to talk to me and my staff about his experience. In elementary school, he was labeled a student who “couldn’t learn” and was given an Individual Education Plan (IEP). As he explained, it wasn’t that he “couldn’t learn” he just learned differently. <br /><br />In middle school, he enrolled in a KIPP charter school and his teachers worked to understand how he learned best. They helped him by tutoring him when he was struggling and encouraged him to think about the future and about college. By the time he left eighth grade, he’d been awarded a full ride to high school. Today, he’s on a full scholarship at Fordham University and will graduate in May, on time, with a major in economics. Jaime told us, “I just want other students to have what I had.”&nbsp; Students who attend a charter middle school like Jaime have a college completion rate that is four times the rate for low income students nationwide.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />Another story that you should know is about college sophomore Amber-Lee Brown. She enrolled in the charter school nine years ago as a sixth grade student who showed a natural inclination towards problem-solving and precision. In this charter school, not only was she encouraged to pursue her interest in math but the school’s curriculum was designed in a way that prepared her to take the Algebra Regents Exam as an eighth grader. <br /><br />You should know that she continued her journey at a College Prep Charter High School in the Bronx. She took several Advanced Placement courses, including AP Microeconomics, AP U.S. History, AP Statistics, AP Environmental Science and AP Calculus. “She’s the kind of student who will always push beyond what is required.” says college advisor Betty Damaso. <br /><br />Today, Amber-Lee has a 3.0 GPA at Howard University, studies chemical engineering, and is very active in the Black Student Union. “The charter school I attended planted the seed that if I went to college that I could do so much more and they kept me on track to get here. I now know the pay-off is worth it in the end. The thought of that not being possible for other kids like me out there is worth fighting for.” <br /><br />Another story worth noticing is of Chris Diaz who grew up in Tremont. His mom was looking for “a different kind of school, a different kind of experience” for her son. When Chris enrolled in the charter school as a sixth grader in 2000, both he and his mom found exactly what they were looking for. Students wanted to stay an extra hour after school to practice their violin or get extra help from a teacher. The teachers created a warm and inviting environment that made students want to be there. <br /><br />Chris’s charter school educators stuck by him every step of the way through high school and college. He told us “Staff members will drive up to your school in the middle of winter when there is two feet of snow on the ground, just to see how you are doing.” Chris went on to attend Colgate University with a nearly a full scholarship and studied psychology and film. <br /><br />Today, Chris is teaching math at the very same charter school where he studied algebra so long ago. “I want to see my students go right through college and come back and teach here or give back to the community in some way. You hear a lot about 'getting out of the neighborhood.' But I say, why would you want to get out when you can come back and help us change it?” he said. <br /><br />You should know these are just three of the tens of thousands of students in New York City charter schools getting a great education. There are many, many more families who want and deserve this educational option for their children. And the state legislature can help by raising the cap on charter schools, giving them fair funding and providing funding for space if they are in private buildings. I don’t always agree with the Governor, but I agree with him on this. <br /><br />I am State Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.</p>
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MiscellaneousMon, 30 Mar 2015 13:44:39 +0000Cathryn Bern-Smith265281 at http://www.nysenate.govImagine Ted Cruz Coming to the South Bronxhttp://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/imagine-ted-cruz-coming-south-bronx
<p><strong>WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW</strong></p>
<p>By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz<br />District 32 Bronx County, New York<br />Tel 718-991-3161</p>
<p><strong>Imagine Ted Cruz Coming to the South Bronx</strong></p>
<p>You should know that on Monday, March 23, 2015, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) announced his candidacy for the 2016 GOP nomination for President of the United States.&nbsp; Ted Cruz spoke at Liberty University, the largest Christian university in the world, asking us all to "Imagine millions of courageous conservatives rising up.”</p>
<p>To follow up on Ted Cruz’s speech, and to use his Imagine theme, I would like to make the following observations:<br />Imagine Ted Cruz traveling to the Bronx where there is a grassroots army of Black and Hispanic Evangelical Christians who are just like him - and who have been ignored by every Presidential candidate.</p>
<p>Imagine Ted Cruz coming to the South Bronx where there are many of Hispanic Evangelical Churches that are willing to stand together for liberty - to encourage us and let us know that he is one of us.</p>
<p>Imagine Ted Cruz being willing to break another rule and come to the South Bronx to show his respect for our Black and Hispanic communities, and also to break bread with our Evangelical leaders.</p>
<p>This is why I am extending an invitation to Ted Cruz to come to the Bronx to join together with the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization on Saturday, April 18th for our Annual Minister’s Banquet - and I am asking Ted Cruz to bring with him the gift of hope.</p>
<p>Ladies and gentlemen, imagine Ted Cruz accepting this invitation and coming to the Bronx: "Think just how different the world would be.”</p>
<p>I am State Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.</p>
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<span class="date-display-single">Thu, 03/26/2015</span> </div>
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MiscellaneousThu, 26 Mar 2015 13:22:02 +0000Cathryn Bern-Smith264976 at http://www.nysenate.govEnd this moral crisis: Black and Hispanics deserve justicehttp://www.nysenate.gov/news/end-moral-crisis-black-and-hispanics-deserve-justice
<p>On Thursday, nearly 100 black and Hispanic religious leaders, representing 650 churches, stood with me to call for an end to our state’s failing-schools crisis.<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>It’s an epidemic that is quietly stealing possibility from New York’s black and Hispanic communities.<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>This is an unprecedented coalition of clergy fighting for better schools in New York, and it represents more than 100,000 congregants across multiple denominations, in every corner of the state.<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>These voices cannot be ignored, since they make it clear that New York’s failing-schools crisis is no longer just an education issue — it has become a moral one.<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>Fixing the state’s failing-schools crisis is a fundamental question of justice for our black and Hispanic children, for children trapped in failing schools in districts from Buffalo to ­The Bronx.<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>Here in New York City, 143,000 children are trapped in schools that prepare less than one in 10 of them to read or do math at grade level. And there are 90 schools in this city where no black or Hispanic children passed the state exams.<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>More than 90 percent of all black and Hispanic students in New York City attend failing schools where less than half of the students are able to read or do math at grade level.<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>In New York City, the odds are overwhelmingly stacked against these kids before they even enter the schoolhouse door.</p>
<p>Numbers this grim are not statistics. They are crimes.<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>But it is not just limited to New York City: We have come together because we see failure in every corner of the state. Nearly 800,000 children failed a proficiency exam last year.<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>These are systemic problems that cannot be fixed with bureaucratic tweaks or an additional infusion of money.<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>The solutions require bold, structural change that empowers us to give every New York family access to a high-quality school.</p>
<p>The answers to our failing-schools crisis require the moral courage to ignore naysayers and break from the status quo, to recognize that we must work to dramatically expand the number of high-quality charter and district schools.<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>As religious leaders of Hispanic and black communities across New York, we cannot stand idly by while this failing-schools crisis gets worse. We need to see bold action from our state leaders because our children are waiting.<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>At this current pace of progress, entire generations will continue to be lost before black and Hispanic students can graduate from high school poised for success in their careers.<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>With stakes this high for our children, I’m confident that the call for action from Thursday’s clergy coalition will encourage black and Hispanic leaders from all walks of life to take a stand against failing-school systems in their communities.<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>I have a message to my fellow legislators in Albany: Let’s rise to the occasion this session and respond to tens of thousands of black and Hispanic parents demanding an end to the crisis of failing schools. Let’s give our parents and children the schools they deserve.<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>The Rev. Ruben Diaz Sr. represents the 32nd District (The Bronx) in the state Senate.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://nypost.com/2015/03/19/end-this-moral-crisis-black-and-hispanics-deserve-justice/">Note: This article appear Friday March 20, 2015 in the New York Post on page 29.</a></strong></p>
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MiscellaneousFri, 20 Mar 2015 17:50:13 +0000Fanes Saintil264116 at http://www.nysenate.govOne Thousand Senior Citizens to Kickoff Somos el Futuro Spring 2015 Conferencehttp://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/one-thousand-senior-citizens-kickoff-somos-el-futuro-spring-2015-conference
<p>What You Should Know<br />By State Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz<br />32nd Senatorial District<br />(718) 991-3161<br />&nbsp;<br /><strong>One Thousand Senior Citizens to Kickoff Somos el Futuro Spring 2015 Conference</strong><br />&nbsp;<br />You should know that on Friday, March 20, 2015, more than one thousand Senior Citizens from New York City will be traveling to Albany for the Opening of the Somos el Futuro Spring 2015 Conference.<br />&nbsp;<br />Under the new leadership of Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, Chairman of the Somos el Futuro Conference, this event has been coordinated by Senator Reverend Ruben Diaz, the Democratic Conference's Ranking Member of the Senate Aging Committee, along with Assemblyman Victor Pichardo and Suleika Cabrera Drinane, MSW, President and CEO of the Institute for the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Elderly, Inc. <br />&nbsp;<br />Early Friday morning, one thousand seniors citizens will board buses in New York City and travel to Albany to participate in a Senior Citizen Lunch Conference, which will be the official opening for the Somos el Futuro Spring 2015 Conference.&nbsp; By 3pm, they will be on their buses heading back to the City.<br />&nbsp;<br />The theme of the 2015 Conference is “Somos Now: Leading a New Generation of Change, Opportunity, Progress and Success" - and what a powerful message of support our seniors will be sending to the next generation by their presence in Albany on Friday!<br />&nbsp;<br />My dear reader, I am delighted that Assemblyman Marcos Crespo has trusted me to coordinate this senior day in Albany with Assemblyman Victor Pichardo and Suleika Cabrera Drinane.<br />&nbsp;<br />Ladies and gentlemen, I hope this will continue every year under the leadership of Chairman Crespo, and I look forward to future events where we will expand the number of seniors who travel to Albany to kickoff the Somos el Futuro Conference. <br />&nbsp;<br />I am State Senator Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.</p>
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SeniorsThu, 19 Mar 2015 18:30:58 +0000Cathryn Bern-Smith263961 at http://www.nysenate.govSENATOR REV. RUBEN DIAZ AND REV. JOHNNIE GREEN TO LEAD NEARLY 100 MEMBERS OF NEW YORK'S BLACK AND HISPANIC CLERGY URGING STATE TO PASS BOLD CHANGES TO END FAILING SCHOOLS CRISIShttp://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/senator-rev-ruben-diaz-and-rev-johnnie-green-lead-nearly-100-members-new-yorks-black-a
<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br />MARCH 18, 2015<br /><br /><strong>SENATOR REV. RUBEN DIAZ AND REV. JOHNNIE GREEN TO LEAD NEARLY 100 MEMBERS OF NEW YORK'S BLACK AND HISPANIC CLERGY URGING STATE TO PASS BOLD CHANGES TO END FAILING SCHOOLS CRISIS</strong><br /><br />New York, NY - State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. and Rev. Dr. Johnnie Green will lead nearly 100 prominent members of New York's Black and Hispanic clergy from the New York Hispanic Clergy Association and Mobilizing Preachers and Communities to gather on the steps of City Hall, Thursday, March 19 at 12:00 PM, urging elected officials in Albany for bold action fixing a statewide crisis that fails close to 800,000 students every year.<br /><br />The New York Hispanic Clergy Association and Mobilizing Preachers and Communities represent nearly 650 Black and Hispanic churches across New York. Members of the clergy will declare a crisis in education in New York, as 143,000 students--mostly Black and Hispanic children--are trapped in schools where nine in ten students can't read or do math at grade level. <br /><br />For more information, please contact Ann Noonan at (646) 251- 6069.</p>
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EducationWed, 18 Mar 2015 16:15:13 +0000Cathryn Bern-Smith263666 at http://www.nysenate.govCongratulations to Eric Schneiderman!http://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/congratulations-eric-schneiderman
<p>What You Should Know<br />By State Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz<br />32nd Senatorial District<br />(718) 991-3161<br /><br /><strong>Congratulations to Eric Schneiderman!</strong><br /><br />You should know that I offer my congratulations to New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for proposing a ban on outside income for legislators, as was reported in every newspaper today. <br /><br />You should also know that New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is no “Johnny-Come-Lately” to this matter.&nbsp; In 2009 and in 2010, when I first introduced Senate Bill 3149 asking for the same thing - barring outside income for legislators - the only State Senator at the time who supported my bill and co-sponsored it was Eric Schneiderman.&nbsp; (I have continued to introduce this legislation every year and so far, only a handful of my colleagues have offered their support.)<br /><br />Ladies and gentlemen, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s record speaks for itself, and I congratulate him for having the moral fiber to remain strong on this much-needed piece of ethics reform.<br /><br />I am State Senator Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.<br /><br /></p>
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EthicsTue, 17 Mar 2015 15:28:03 +0000Cathryn Bern-Smith263436 at http://www.nysenate.govWhy Steal Their Possibility?http://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/why-steal-their-possibility
<p><strong>What You Should Know</strong><br />By State Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz<br />32nd Senatorial District<br />(718) 991-3161<br />&nbsp;<br /><strong>Why Steal Their Possibility?</strong><br />&nbsp;<br />You should know that on Wednesday, March 4th, for the second time, more than 10,000 Black and Hispanic children and their parents came to the State Capital to rally in favor of charter schools so they could receive a better education. There was a sea of red t-shirts and red wool caps with the logo DON’T STEAL POSSIBLE.&nbsp; It was an amazing and well organized event!<br />&nbsp;<br />You should know that aside from Assemblyman Marcos Crespo from the South Bronx and Assemblyman Robert Rodriguez from El Barrio, I was one of the only three Hispanic elected officials (there was not one single Black elected official there) to receive and speak to those 10,000 children and their families, who traveled all the way from New York City to Albany wanting to see and to get support from their elected officials.<br />&nbsp;<br />I have been one of the few minority elected officials who got to be part of the welcoming committee two times to greet and address these children and their parents searching for a better education for their children. <br />&nbsp;<br />My dear reader, I would also like to share with you a few points to explain my strong position for charter schools:<br />&nbsp;<br />You should know that the New York State School System is broken and that 800,000 children fail every year, and that the majority of them are Black and Hispanic.&nbsp; I want you to know that it is possible to fix the New York State School System that is broken and to save those 800,000 children. Why steal their possibility?<br />&nbsp;<br />You should know that there are 178 failing schools in the New York State School System and that for the past ten years, more than 200,000 children have been attending those failing schools, and the majority of those children have been Black or Hispanic. I want you to know that by working together with the New York public school system and the charter school community, we don’t have to send our children to those 178 failing schools. Why steal their possibility?<br />&nbsp;<br />You should know that right now there are 109,000 children attending failing schools in New York State with the knowledge of the Education Department, and that the majority of those children who are attending those failing schools are also Black and Hispanic.&nbsp; I want you to know that it is possible for those 109,000 children who are now attending failing schools to be attending good schools and getting a good education. Why steal their possibility?<br />&nbsp;<br />You should know that 40 of the 178 failing schools in the State are located in Bronx County and that 9 of those schools are in the 32nd Senatorial District that I represent.&nbsp; I want you to know that with more charter schools, the children who now attend failing schools in my district could have a better chance for a good education. Why steal their possibility?<br />&nbsp;<br />You should know that charter schools were created to give a better education to Black and Hispanic children who were being left out. I want you to know that a great majority of charter schools are located in Black and Hispanic communities, and that it is our Black and Hispanic children who are benefitting mostly from them. Why steal their possibility?<br />&nbsp;<br />You should know that from Buffalo to the South Bronx and everywhere in between, and in every corner of the State, we are stealing possibilities from our children, preventing them from getting a better education.<br />&nbsp;<br />I want you to know that it is time for our elected officials – especially our Black and Hispanic leaders – to stop preventing our Black and Hispanic children from the possibility of getting a better education. Why steal their possibility?<br />&nbsp;<br />My dear reader, I want you to know that it is time for us to really make sure that no child should be trapped in any failing school. We must expand the opportunity for our children to attend charter schools. Why steal their possibility?<br />&nbsp;<br />I am State Senator Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.</p>
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MiscellaneousThu, 05 Mar 2015 14:43:35 +0000Cathryn Bern-Smith261506 at http://www.nysenate.gov On Friday March 6th, Your Presence Is Importanthttp://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/friday-march-6th-your-presence-important
<p><strong>What You Should Know</strong><br />By State Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz<br />32nd Senatorial District<br />(718) 991-3161<br /><strong><br />On Friday March 6th, Your Presence Is Important</strong></p>
<p>You should know that this Friday, March 6, 2015 at 9AM, I will be participating in a Breakfast Meeting to deal with some of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s education proposals – especially the Education Investment in Tax Credit – and&nbsp; I am extending an invitation to you to attend.</p>
<p>This Breakfast Meeting will be completely free, and will take place in the St. Athanasius School Gymnasium, located at 830 Southern Boulevard, on the corner of Intervale Avenue, in Bronx County.</p>
<p>Your presence is important!&nbsp; We need to work together.</p>
<p>For more information, please contact Ann Noonan at (646) 251-6069 or Samaris Gross at (347) 613-1491.</p>
<p>This is Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.</p>
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MiscellaneousTue, 03 Mar 2015 17:38:55 +0000Cathryn Bern-Smith261076 at http://www.nysenate.gov